173.732 
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WRITTEN IN 1862 


BY 


FRANCIS DUNBAR RUGGLES, 


A Member of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans, 


TO HIS FATHER IN BOSTON. 


MISS EMMELINE RUGGLES of Wakefield, Massachusetts, 
is a member of Boston Chapter, United Daughters of the 
Confederacy (her sponsors being Major-General William 
J. Behan, former Mayor of New Orleans, and Colonel 
Henry H. Baker of that city) by right of the services 
of her uncle (her father’s only brother): 


FRANCIS DUNBAR RUGGLES, corporal First Company 
Washington Artillery of New Orleans, ©. S. A. He 
marched from New Orleans with his battalion, May 27, 
Heol, to Virginia. He was killed in battle, Predericks— 
more. Vireiniagw (Dec. bd, L862. Distinenisned fon 
bravery, see *‘In Camp and Battle with the Washington 
Pecvitery- “by visg¢colonel; theclate Wm. Mibler Owen, 
paces oe Li se6 ld45 188, 189, 190, nb04, 437,68 4675 
also the *‘Washington Artillery Souvenir,’’ published 
by the Battalion. His name is upon the ‘ ‘Washington 
Artillery Monument’’ in Metarie Cemetery, New Orleans, 
Peousnene tee borvedsin Lot No..l2siiection by-in the 
eid part of Hollywood) Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia, 
where a Suitable monument marks his grave. Col. Owen 
in his book speaks of one of his first acts of bravery 
mee thesc words (p. 155) *‘‘The ‘Victoria’ and the ‘Cross 
of the Legion of Honor’ have been pinned to a soldier’s 
PreegtteLOr Aactsior lesser heroism.”’ Gol. Henry H- 
Paeereo. -botele Of Fredericksburg,*” atter describing 
bas GCoatn upon, the field, gave this brief account of 
his life (p. 52): ‘‘Corporal Francis Dunbar Ruggles was 
a handsome Boston boy, a general favorite with the men, 
for he was as brave as he was gentle and kind. He came 
of Revolutionary stock, for his four great-grandfathers 
were in the army of Washington. President Lyon G. 
foters OL, Willliam and Mary College, once said of him, 
‘Although George Ruggles was among the founders of 
Mareinia, none or his race ever came to Virginia until 
as descendant, Francis Dunbar Ruggles, marched to her 
defense in arms and shed his blood upon her soil, an 
event appropriately and almost poetically suggestive 
Oe une carly connection.’ ’’ 


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173.782 


e340 


Letter written in 1862 by FRANCIS DUNBAR RUGGLES, 
a member of the First Company of the Washington 
Artillery of New Orleans. C..S. A., to his father in 
Boston. Read before Boston Chapter, U. D. C., 
vege Be Te aa i hy 


This letter is dated fifty-two days before his 
death at the battle of Fredericksburg. 


**On the Army of thesPotomec 
Wednesday, Oct. 22 -"locw. 


To Henry B. Ruggles, Esq., of Lawrence Wilde & Co., 
Boston, Mass. 


Dear Father: I avail myself to-day of an oppor- 
tunity which presents itself of communicating with you 
simply for the purpose of informing you of my good 
condition and whereabouts, and thereby relieving you 
of that anxiety which a father would naturally feel 
when separated from his son by the irreparable breach 
which to-day divides your country from mine—not with 
any intention of expatiating upon the merits and causes 
which have produced this separation. 


Alas! who would have thought ten years ago that 
this once glorious country could have been reduced to 
its present condition; who would have for a moment 
Supposed that any subject of discussion, however 
momentous, could have been produced to the public mind, 
that would cause men to take up arms—father against 
son, and brother against brother, thereby forever 
Teverine cvoettics, notonly ol iniendsnip, uc of 
Peoud;,, irulty the people of, the North are” beret cio 
Peneoun., or a portion of “them at Leaeu. Of course. 
do not know anything of your sentiments (and even if I 
fac.esonould not gllow it.to interfere) with) my. conduce 
or feelings toward you, whom I shall ever honor and 
respect as my parent, regardless of all National 
Git. icutties). 

Many, doubtless, with, you, are sincere in their 
belief of the righteousness of their cause—but with 
us, we are a UNIT in the fixed conviction that ours is 
a just and holy cause; and ‘Thrice armed is he whose 
cause is just.’ But in saying this, perhaps I am 
overstepping the prescribed limits of my letter, so let 
me direct my thoughts to other subjects. 


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Many opportunities have offered of communicating 
with you before now, but through returned and paroled 
prisoners—and I have felt, naturally, a delicacy in 
going so far, as thus to violate the rules of war. 

I presume you have been aware of my enlisting in the 
army, for I wrote you just before the commencement 

of hostilities, that in the event of its becoming 
necessary, I should not hesitate to take up arms in the 
defense of our rights. 


I volunteered in New Orleans on the 27th day of 
May, 1861, and left immediately for the seat of war in 
Virginia, with the BATTALION OF WASHINGTON ARTILLERY, 
commanded by Major J. B. Walton, now a colonel and 
soon will be promoted to brigadier-general. The bat- 
talion is composed of four companies in Virginia—the 
first commanded by Capt. C. W. Squires, of which I am 
a member; the fifth company is in Kentucky, under 
Bragg; the sixth company remained in New Orleans for 
home protection, and was disbanded upon the disgraceful 
surrender of that beautiful city to its present inhuman 
and beastly ruler, Butler. JI have been in ten dif- 
ferent engagements, including the battles of Bull Run, 
Manassas, Richmond, Rappahannock Station, Sudley or 
Manassas second, and Sharpsburg, in all of which the 
protecting hand of an Almighty God has been stretched 
over me and preserved me with but a single scratch from 
the deadly missiles of an invading, treacherous and 
relentless foe. While my companions have fallen on 
either side of me, I have been protected, thanks to an 
over-ruling Providence, to whose wisdom and law I 
submit myself in all future efforts to defend our soil 
and maintain our independence. 


Toamnueperccwmeiy for ther warm DesrLt tongror 
short, and although several opportunities offer to 
become relieved of active military duties, and to change 
Eyeposition fromtthe;field, d refuse themallaandwwi lt 
eontinue soto dos) Having enlisted for the war, I am 
determined to fight it out, so long as the present 
principles are maintained. My heart is in this holy 
cause—in this grand struggle for independence—and 
when it shall have been achieved, none will retire to 
the peace and quiet of home with a more firm conviction 


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aie Tew Belt alt ‘ieyetinea yolveho 3ae ont oe une if 
eee cba aye aie an td im 3h Jigitkiat Boni 
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of having done his whole duty to his God, his country, 
his neighbor and himself than I; and 1 look forward to 
a lifetime of happiness when the independence of the 
southern Confederacy shall be achieved. And, God grant 
that the day 18 not far distant, is my daily prayer! 


ijam enyoyine perfect health, and’ only trust this 
may find you the same. We are sumptuously fed and 
comfortably clothed—notwithstanding reports in Northern 
journals to the contrary. I regret being obliged to go 
through a long, tedious and inactive winter, and am in 
hopes McClellan may be induced to advance upon us— 
think we are quite well prepared for him! 


I have sought in vain among captured prisoners 
for some person whom I knew, or had heard of in the 
North—would like very much to converse with some one. 


I receive letters regularly from New Orleans. At 
last accounts G. W. D. and F. D. and families were 
quite well—of course much depressed mentally. Suppose 
they will be compelled to take the oath of allegiance 
to the United States, but it will only be forced upon 
them. 


To any of my former friends and acquaintances who 
ay AnuouirS atcer me, please remember me as a *rebely 


Trusting and praying that God may open the eyes 
Srerme DOlind fanatics of the North to a true viewrof 
their condition and intentions; that their ears may be 
opened to the popular voice of the South, which only 
@oks Of them their right to be let alone and allowed to 
depart from a Union, which is no longer a Union, in 
pence, l remain, your son, 

Francis Dunbar Ruggles. 


P. 5S. ‘Please mail the enclosed letter to its 
address. Send word to Asaph Dunbar that all are well 
“On ey 7m We a 


NOTE. Francis Dunbar Ruggles is represented in 
Boston Chapter U. D. CG. by his niece, Miss Emmeline 
Ruggles of Wakefield, Massachusetts. 


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